I Saw A Film Today

Welcome to “I Saw A Film Today”, where I give you my first impressions and spoiler-free reviews of movies that I’ve seen for the first time. If it doesn’t fit a theme or belong in a different category, it’ll go here. So what did I watch over the weekend?

So. This is a thing.

X-Men: Days of Future Past was based on the event comic of the same name, sending one of the X-Men back in time to stop an apocalyptic future set in motion in the 70s. While there are some differences between page and screen (of course), the screenwriters did an amazing job of filling in the blanks in between for non X-Men readers.

One thing to get out of the way that screams to be addressed is who went back in time in the movie. This isn’t exactly a spoiler since it’s in the trailer, but Logan/Wolverine is the one to go back in time instead of the comic’s choice of Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat. They actually explain this one away really well though, setting up that her powers work slightly differently than before, that Logan was not the first choice to send back, and that he was the only one left alive that could survive the process. While I really wish Ellen Page had more to do on screen in her role, it makes sense as to why they wrote her part smaller in exchange for the X-Men’s top cash cow, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.

Nothing personal Ms. Page but....c'mon.

The casting director did an amazing job of getting back all of your favorite X-Men, both from the original 3 movies and First Class. Hugh Jackman is back, of course. Ellen Page’s role is expanded from the almost-cameo appearances, of course. They even brought back Halle Berry as Storm, and the actors who played Jean Grey and Cyclops for cameos. There was one actor who I couldn’t place the entire movie, and it was nagging at the back of my skull for hours after. He looked like a cross between a young Leo-Dicaprio and Chris Hemsworth, but I finally figured out it was Havok from First Class. I could’ve sworn they had gotten the same actor that had played Toad from the original trilogy, but it turned out that Evan Jonigket was just a dead ringer for the older actor. It was just those little details that I can really appreciate as someone whose watched all of the X-Men movies.

Best friends and knightly acting buddies Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen return as best friends and mortal enemies Professor Xavier and Magneto, and both step back into their roles as if they never left. They’re a great compliment to James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, and you can really see how the characters evolved from their younger selves. Jennifer Lawrence is back as Mystique/Raven, and while she gets less screen time than Xavier and Erik, every moment that she’s on screen is effective and compelling. But my favorite pairing of actors on that screen were Hugh Jackman and Nicolas Hoult, getting the odd but strangely perfect friendship between Wolverine and Beast almost instantly.

Not as perfect as this though. Nothing could be as perfect as this.

                                   

So the X-Men movie continuity and the main Marvel movie continuity is completely separate, and thus one of the two characters who crosses between those two doesn’t have to have the same actor. In this case, we’re introduced to Quicksilver, played excellently by Evan Peters. He has some of the most humorous parts of the film, and the sequence that got the most laughs out of the theatre I was in. He’s contracted for the next one, so I’m excited to see how he does with a larger role next time.

Can we talk about that Peter Dinklage? Lets talk about that Peter Dinklage. Peter Dinklage was amazing as Dr. Trask, and needs more big screen roles. Definitely a complex character actor, I would kill to see him and fellow former Richard II performer Sir Ian on stage or screen together at the same time. Granted, this movie gave me something I didn’t know I needed in my life, having 5 of my top 7 favorite actors in the same movie. All it needed was Benedict Cumber-dragon and Martin “Bilbo” Freeman and I could’ve died a happy fangirl.

Tyrion with a 70's 'stashe....You will never unsee

The action scenes are tight and well paced, with well integrated effects when necessary and pauses in just the right places. The humor hits and I couldn’t look away. The final battle, no spoilers, is amazing and has great editing. And the writing confirms that there is not a single X-Man live action movie that doesn’t fit within its own continuity. This is one of the best X-Men sequels, and I don’t think it falls into the stereotypical “second movie syndrome” tropes. In fact, I think it makes some of its predecessors better with what it introduces. I mean, it can’t make 3 or Origins  good films, but it does make it not nearly as painful on a rewatch.

X-Men: Days of Future Past  is an excellent summer blockbuster that I didn’t have to turn my brain off to watch. Would I recommend it as a Marvel fan? Yes. Would I recommend it even if I wasn’t super into comics? Probably yes still, because the acting and writing were just that good. Whether you’re looking for an action movie to pass the time with or a superhero movie to get you through to the next big Marvel release, you could do a whole lot worse.